KZa`dbbZc Hi¬ii cnZ aZYZgZ Hjeedgi CZl AZVYZgh N ovember is a time of transition between seasons in Montana, marking the end of fall and the beginning of winter. It is also a time of transition in our lodges because it is when most lodges hold their officer elections. A change in leadership can provide a fresh outlook and a new perspective. New officers have the energy and new ideas that we need to grow and to be a strong organization. With each election, I'm excited to see new faces move into lodge leadership. In a few years, these may be the members who become our district and international officers. The most important job I have ever held in my lodge has been that of past officer because of the impact I had on my successor. How the outgoing officer handles the transition to the next officer is critical. H]VgZ ndjg `cdlaZY\Z VcY ZmeZg^ZcXZ! VcY egdk^YZ ndjg hjXXZhhdg i]Z iddah VcY ^c[dgbV " i^dc id WZ hjXXZhh[ja# You have a wealth of information about your job duties. I encourage you to share your knowledge and experience, and provide your successor the tools and information to be successful. Extend an offer of ongoing assistance but let go of the position you held. Don't be a backseat driver! Your enthusiastic support of your successor, as well as for the entire new lodge management team, will be one of the greatest contributions to their success. In the end, the mentoring, coaching and development you provide as a past officer will help new officers be effective leaders of your lodge and will prepare them to one day lead our organization. Please join me in congratulating our new officers as they begin their new positions and in supporting them as they guide your lodge and our organization into the future. N dkZbWZg Zg Zc dkZg\Vc\hi^Y bZaadb hZhdc\ZcZ ^ BdciVcV# BcZYZc bVg`ZgZg hajiiZc e ]¬hihZhdc\Zc d\ WZ\nccZahZc e k^ciZgZc# CdkZbWZg Zg d\h Zc dkZg\Vc\hi^Y ^ adY\ZcZ [dgY^ YZ ÉZhiZ Vk]daYZg gZegZhZciVcikVa\ZcZ ^ YZccZ eZg^dYZc# :cYg^c\Zg ^ aZYZahZ `Vc [¬gZ i^a Zi [Zgh`i jihnc d\ Zi cnii eZgheZ`i^k# CnkVa\iZ d[ÈhZgZg ]Vg ZcZg\^ d\ cnZ ^YZZg k^ igZc\Zg [dg kd`hZ d\ Wa^ Zc a^kh`gV[i^\ dg\Vc^hVh_dc# KZY ]kZgi kVa\ Wa^g _Z\ deehiZbi cg _Z\ hZg cnZ [_Zh ^ adY\ZcZh aZYZgedh^h_dcZg# Db cdZcg Zg YZi Y^hhZ bZYaZbbZcZ hdb Wa^g aZYZgZ e Y^hig^`ih " d\ ^ciZgcVh_dcVai c^k# GdaaZc hdb [dg]Zck«gZcYZ aZYZg kVg YZc k^`i^\hiZ _dWWZc _Z\ ]VYYZ ^ adY\Zc e \gjcc Vk ^cck^g`c^c\Zc _Z\ ]VYYZ e ZiiZg[¬a\ZgZc b^c# =k^h Yj Zg Zc VkigdeeZcYZ i^aa^ihkVa\i Zg ]cYiZg^c\Zc Vk dkZg\Vc\Zc i^a YZc cZhiZ aZYZgZc Vk `g^i^h` WZinYc^c\# 9j ]Vg Éjhi bZY ^c[dgbVh_dc db VgWZ^Yhdee\VkZcZ# ?Z\ deebjcigZg YZ\ i^a YZaZ Y^c `jcch`Ve d\ Zg[Vg^c\! d\ jigjhiZ ZiiZg[¬a\ZgZc Y^c bZY kZg`i¬n d\ ^c[dgbVh_dc hdb Zg c¬YkZcY^\ [dg Wa^ hj`hZhh[jaa# I^aWn [gZbi^Y^\ Vhh^hiVchZ! bZc \^ hVbi^Y^\ ha^ee e Y^c i^Ya^\ZgZ gdaaZ# 7a^ ^``Z Zc WV`hZiZh_[¬g 9^c Zcijh^Vhi^h`Z hi¬iiZ Vk ZiiZg[¬a\ZgZc Y^c! hVbi hi¬iiZ Vk adY\ZaZYZahZc hdb ]Za]Zi! Zg WaVci YZ k^`i^\hiZ W^YgV\ZcZ i^a hj`hZhh# Cg Vai `dbbZg i^a hin``Zi! k^a Vaa gY\^kc^c\Zc! deea«g^c\Zc d\ jik^`a^c\Zc Yj \^g hdb Zc [dg]Zck«gZcYZ d[ÈhZg ]_ZaeZ cnZ aZYZgcZ bZY Wa^ Z[[Z`i^kZ d\ [dgWZgZYZ YZb ha^` Vi YZ Zc YV\ `Vc aZYZ dg\Vc^hVh_dcZc#H 6C9:GHDC